News

Communities of Practice: Working with Men

February 19, 2025

Communities of Practice aims to improve the lives and outcomes of children and families by creating a space for practitioners to come together and explore difficult practice issues within the Permanency Support Program.

In this Communities of Practice (CoP), participants will explore how fathers can positively influence their children’s upbringing and become the nurturing caregivers and role models they always intended to be. The focus will be on practical strategies for engaging men in meaningful change, helping them foster healthy, supportive relationships with their children. Additionally, the CoP will address the critical issue of working with fathers who use violence, offering practice approaches that practitioners can learn from. Key elements include:

– Supporting fathers in becoming the positive influence they aspire to be
– Identifying and managing family violence
– Ensuring safety for both professionals and families
– Using effective communication to facilitate meaningful interactions.

Communities of Practice: Preparing for Court

November 13, 2024

Communities of Practice aims to improve the lives and outcomes of children and families by creating a space for practitioners to come together and explore difficult practice issues within the Permanency Support Program.

In this Communities of Practice, participants will discuss what casework needs to be completed and evidenced before attending court for final orders. Key elements include:

• Challenges when family finding
• Cultural identification and planning
• Case history and quality documentation

Online Training: The Six Steps of Guardianship and Open Adoption

October 22, 2024

This foundation training for inexperienced or new staff will explore permanency planning for children and young people who can’t be restored home. Topics we will cover include:

• the principles of permanency in Permanency Support Program (PSP) focusing on Guardianship, Adoption and Long-Term Care
• casework considerations when planning for permanency
• the process to achieve Guardianship
• the process to achieve Adoption

and provide practical advice on how to approach conversations with children, young people, families and caregivers to help guide them through the permanency process, including supporting the assessment phase of Guardianship and Adoption.

Webinar: Motivational Interviewing in PSP

October 21, 2024

Join us in this introductory webinar about how Motivational Interviewing can be used effectively in PSP to help families start their process of change. In this webinar, the context, process and skills used in Motivational Interviewing are explored, which may assist in engaging families in safe parenting and building a positive, collaborative and trusting relationship with parents to help resolve the challenges parents face.

Webinar: Affidavit Writing in PSP

October 21, 2024

Training Overview

Strengthen your impact on children and young people’s lives through expert affidavit writing. As a PSP Service Provider, your affidavit directly shapes Children’s Court decision-making. Our practice-based coaching session empowers casework staff to craft compelling and professional affidavits. 

In this coaching session, you will: 

• Develop essential knowledge about affidavit structure, content requirements, and their crucial role in care proceedings  

• Learn best practices for presenting clear, factual, and relevant evidence in your affidavits. 

Join us to build confidence in presenting evidence that helps secure the best outcomes for children and young people in care proceedings. 

Communities of Practice: Challenges Working with Birth Families

September 27, 2024

Communities of Practice aims to improve the lives and outcomes of children and families by creating a space for practitioners to come together and explore difficult practice issues within the Permanency Support Program.

In this Communities of Practice, participants will explore the conundrums that surround working with birth families of children in long term care. Using a deidentified case study, we will discuss challenges such as working with birth parents who are not supportive of their child’s placement and when children don’t want to attend family time.

F2F Training: Affidavit Writing in PSP

September 27, 2024

Training Overview

PSP Service Providers play a very important role in helping ensure that the Children’s Court has the best evidence to make the decisions about children and young people subject of care proceedings. The training, run by an Accredited Specialist in Children’s Law aims to:

• provide knowledge and skills to prepare affidavits in Children’s Court care proceedings
• explores the purpose and content of affidavits, and their role in care proceedings
• provides participants with the opportunity to draft an affidavit based on a case study and receive feedback.

Communities of Practice: Keeping Siblings Connected

September 27, 2024

Communities of Practice aims to improve the lives and outcomes of children and families by creating a space for practitioners to come together and explore difficult practice issues within the Permanency Support Program.

In this Communities of Practice, participants will discuss the importance of keeping siblings connected and the impact of disconnection, and how to navigate the best interests of children as siblings and individually.

Webinar: Cultural Planning in PSP CALD Families

September 27, 2024

Cultural Planning in PSP CALD families

This training provides PSP casework staff and leaders with the essence of cultural planning for children, young people and their families from diverse backgrounds. Delve into the nuanced perceptions of culture, understanding its impact on family dynamics and community interconnection. Learn effective strategies for developing inclusive cultural plans that resonate with diverse identities and values. Engage with children, young people and their families as well as carers through an interactive sessions designed to foster understanding and collaboration. The session ensures that children’s unique cultural needs are not only recognised but celebrated.

Online Training: Making Family Time Meaningful

September 27, 2024

Making family time meaningful

This training provides PSP casework staff and leaders with information, tools, and resources to support them in helping families and children get the most out of their family time. It will also resource practitioners to support carers in gaining skills and confidence in managing family time where it is safe for them to do so. The training explores:

• The differences between supervising, supporting, or monitoring family time
• Engaging children, families, and carers in decision-making around family time using the Sonya Parker Safe Contact Tool
• Tools, resources, and tricks of the trade to create opportunities for successful family time
• Linking the FAP-C to family time:  Family time is an opportunity for parents to demonstrate their parenting and new skills